Hamilton confirms 2027 Ferrari contract and dismisses retirement talk

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he is contracted to race for Ferrari through the 2027 Formula 1 season, dismissing mounting retirement speculation with a pointed rebuke of those he says are ‘trying to retire me’.

“I’m still in contract. So everything’s 100% clear to me. And yeah, I’m still focused. I’m still motivated,” the seven-time champion said. “I still love what I do with all my heart. And I’m going to be here for quite some time. So get used to it.”

Hamilton signed a multi-year deal — understood to span three seasons — when he joined Ferrari ahead of 2025. That arrangement would keep him at Maranello until the end of 2027, by which point he would be 42 years old. He added that he is already “planning for the next five years”, suggesting retirement is not a consideration in the near term.

The comments come after a difficult debut season with Ferrari in 2025, during which Hamilton struggled to adapt to the SF-25. His situation has improved this year following changes to his technical support: long-serving race engineer Riccardo Adami stepped aside, with Carlo Santi taking over on an interim basis. Hamilton has credited a shift in his preparation approach — focusing on data analysis from the opening four rounds rather than simulator work — as part of his effort to optimise the balance of the SF-26, particularly under braking.

The retirement calls Hamilton referenced have come from several quarters. Former F1 driver and pundit Ralf Schumacher recently argued that both Hamilton and 44-year-old Fernando Alonso should “give young people a chance” rather than continue competing. Hamilton’s response implicitly echoed the careers of drivers like Kimi Räikkönen, who raced competitively into his 40s before retiring at 42, as evidence that longevity at the top level is achievable.

Hamilton’s Ferrari seat has been loosely linked to Haas driver Oliver Bearman, a product of the Ferrari Driver Academy, but Bearman appears set to wait at least another year before a Maranello drive becomes a realistic prospect.